A journey towards the construction and operation of a photoelectron velocity-map imaging spectrometer

Author/Creator:

Mascaritolo, Kyle John, author

Publication/Creation:

Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2016

Resource Type:

Book

More Details

Additional/Related Title Information

Full Title:

A journey towards the construction and operation of a photoelectron velocity-map imaging spectrometer / Kyle John Mascaritolo

Related Names

Additional Author/Creators:

Heaven, Michael C., degree supervisor
Emory University. Department of Chemistry, degree granting institution

Subjects/Genre

Genre:

Electronic dissertations
Academic theses

Description/Summary

Summary:

Photoelectron velocity - map imaging spectroscopy is a highly versatile spectroscopic technique that is capable of measuring numerous molecular properties of neutral and anionic gas phase species.
Presented here is a report of the evolution of a spectrometer capable of studying beryllium containing molecules with the use of photoelectron velocity - map imaging spectroscopy. During the development of the spectrometer, several sub-projects were executed to benchmark its performance. The 2pi(4 p)-X 2pi (3p) band system of the AlAr van der Waals complex using two-photon excitation was first studied to measure the production of internally cold molecules from the laser ablation source. With the determination that cold molecules could be produced, the radical BeOH was studied. The ground state of BeOH was predicted to have a bent equilibrium structure, contrary to the other alkaline earth metal hydroxides with linear equilibrium ground state geometries. The use of laser excitation techniques to observe the 22A'-12A' transition of BeOH/D revealed rotationally resolved spectra of several bending mode transitions. Ab initio calculations were used to guide the analysis of the spectroscopic data permitting unambiguous assignment of all spectral features. It was confirmed that the equilibrium geometry of the ground state is bent, and that the barrier to linearity lies below the zero-point energies for both BeOH and BeOD. A new Wiley-McLaren time of flight mass spectrometer was then incorporated into the existing spectrometer to provide the ability to mass separate anions generated from the laser ablation source. The 1Sigma+←X 1Sigma+ ground state to dipole bound state electronic transition of AlO-- anion was studied by means of autodetachment spectroscopy. This studied benchmarked the capability to photodetach mass separated anions. Lastly, velocity - map imaging optics and a position sensitive detector were added to the spectrometer to finalize the construction of the photoelectron velocity - map imaging spectrometer. The previously unreported X 1Sigma+-X 2Sigma + anion ground state to neutral ground state electronic transition of BeO anion was studied as a benchmark molecule for the spectrometer. The current results are presented here, along with a detailed report of the individual components of the spectrometer, and an overall evaluation of the performance of the spectrometer.

Language:

English

Language Note:

English

Physical Type/Description:

1 electronic resource (151 pages)

General Note:

Source of abstract: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 78-03(E), Section: B.
Advisors: Michael C. Heaven ; committee members: James Kindt; Susanna Widicus Weaver.

Local Note:

ProQuest digital dissertation copies of Emory dissertations may be downloaded free of charge by Emory faculty, students, and staff unless the author has chosen to embargo the work.

Additional Identifiers

Catalog ID (MMSID):

9936606911002486

ISBN:

9781369299175